Which one do you like?

There are some GORGEOUS trees around here blooming these awesome pink/white flowers. I don't think they are cherry blossoms because they are huge, but I sure had fun with my Macro! Here are some shots I got and played with the editing...which one do you like?

May favs are the top left and bottom left.

These are just so SOOC macro shots of the inside of the blooming flowers...perhaps some editing tips?

Logan's Transformation/Super Hero Birthday Party!

Little did I know how much my "baby" would love Super Heros, Action figures and Transformers. It is quite hilarious to watch him be a boy sometimes...just today I saw him "hunting" around the house with one eye shut holding his gun and bending his knees. THEN I saw Austin copy him...so much fun:-)

We decided to do a Birthday Party for Logan this year since he hasn't had one yet (just a large family one when he turned one). When asked about a theme for his party he couldn't decided between Transformers or Super Heros. Since he is always dressing up in his costumes, I thought it would be fun for the other kids to dress up too. I refused to have it at my house with kids of this age, plus our house just isn't big enough for 15 kids plus parents. We found a great park where the playground wasn't too scary for little kids, but large enough to run around on it and not get bored. The day couldn't have been more beautiful for us, 65 and sunny:-)

I wanted a low-key party with very little games or stress. The kids played for the majority of the two hours, with a pinata, cake, and presents squeezed in the middle. Logan had a blast having "all his friends" to play with:-)

Here is the invitation Mike and I created. Mike is very creative when it comes to wording and sayings.

The simple decorations set up at our park shelter, and the boys playing.

The Transformer cake. I wanted something written on it so I did it myself. I think it ruined it, but I love what it says (again Mike came up with it)

HAPPY TRANS-4-MATION LOGAN!!

Family photo...I couldn't help but laugh at what Logan did by resting on my belly...HAHA! 38weeks!!

More playing and the pinata ...all the kids got a turn and then Logan pulled the strings and all the candy fell out!
I can't help it, but I think Austin is the cutest Buzz Lightyear there is! He kept his hat part of the costume on for the better part of it and looked so cute running around the playground:-)

I love my boys!

PS...update on Baby #3...totally had false labor yesterday and today. Last night I started having contractions and I was just feeling uncomfortable. I went to bed thinking either this will wake me up through the night or just go away. I was able to sleep through the night just fine, but as soon as I woke up I was doubled over in cramp/back pain and contractions. I even had some other symptoms, but not sure you would want that much information:-) All I wanted to do was lay back in bed, so I called Mike and told him to come home from work. I thought to myself, if this is it, then I better get ready! So I crawled in the shower and started to get ready while Mike got the boys ready. I figured with this being my third, the labor would go fairly quickly. While I was in the shower the contractions were coming every 3-4 minutes. After I got out and got dressed, things started to calm down and the cramping faded. About two hours after that the contractions were irregular and more than 10 minutes apart. SO FRUSTRATING! I didn't have false labor with either of the boys and didn't go "naturally" with them...both of them were from membrane stripping so I expected labor. We went for a walk today and I had more contractions, but they aren't going anywhere. sssiiigggghhhhhh. I have an appointment tomorrow so we will see what they say!

First Soccer Game

This past Saturday, a beautiful God given day, was Logan's first Soccer game. I unfortunately did not attend as I was getting ready for his Birthday party (pictures to come) and making sure Austin napped. However, Mike did a great job capturing those first moments! Not much to report on, I think the game went a little long...one hour...even though there were many breaks. But still, one hour is quite a long time for kids at that age to do that. He supposedly scored twice...YEAH!! But he did end up crying toward the end of the game. Not sure what started it, either a collision with another kid, or just being overwhelmed with the situation. We shall see how the next game goes next saturday! Here are a few shots of Logan in action:-)

Momma in Focus Friday!

One of my good friends started up a link called Momma in Focus for every Friday! In this link up you momma's get in the photos WITH your kids! Not just be behind the camera:-) I think this will be a fun link up as it will create many photos of me and my kids...something I definitely don't have much of. Thanks Casey!! Check out her sweet blog HERE and link up!

Stick out your tongue!
Funny Faces!
Poke your sibling:-)

Saving Money in Poopy Places

So as you all know, Mike was on deployment for 6 months and during that time (as most military couples do) we decided to save money! I mean, we would be getting extra money for the separations and with it just being me and the boys, we don't need to spend the same amount as when it is all of us together....right? Well, a little more than half way into the deployment, we re-evaluated our finances and budget. Me being very transparent here...we realized we weren't saving much money at all. I felt and still feel really guilty about the whole situation and we can give excuse after excuse about why money was spent here and there. In the end, we knew we needed to change our spending habits.

Just so you newly marrieds or even long-time marrieds know...I feel like finances are a tough cycle. Over the past seven years of marriage we have saved, then spent, then re-budgeted, saved, then spent, then re-budgeted, etc. And God has been more than faithful to us! We have seen Him give us money when we needed it most and we have seen Him strain us when we needed to be pulled back into submission. Anyways, finances are a horrible thing, and I don't think we will ever EVER get it right.

Since this last time was such a wake-up call for me personally, I started to find ways to save money. One of my vows, was to NOT use a credit card for six months. (Either you are saying to yourself...I never use mine, or I always use mine...what is she thinking!). What would end up happening is I wouldn't keep track of how much money was in our account so I would use a credit card just in case we didn't have enough in our checking. Basically the WRONG way for us to budget our money. I am VERY VERY proud to say that since that decision I have NOT used a credit card! (2.5 months) That means I have adjusted where money is spent, when and how...it feels sooo good! We have still saved:-) It is also crazy to think of the money spent that didn't need to be. Ok...this is a MAJOR tangent so I am getting back on track here.

One of the ways I discovered that could save us much money on our tight budget was....yes...switching to cloth diapers. AAAHHHHH! I know some of you do cloth diapers and love it and some of you may never consider the idea. Well, I was one that just never really thought anything of it! I never knew anyone who did it and really thought it old fashioned. I have met several people as I have more kids that do cloth diapers and after MUCH discussion (thanks Kaylee and Lindsey!) and MUCH research (thanks to Mike for those late night debates) we did a comparison chart for just the first six months; as far as cost goes. It was so undeniably cheaper to do cloth diapers that we are jumping right in, even with Austin. I have to admit that part of me was a tad disapointed and nervous when we realized the cost difference because now I am committing to something that isn't too convenient, very messy at times, and some what time consuming.

I do like the fact that it helps the environment and it is more gentle on my kids sensitive skin, but about 90% of the reason we are switching to cloth is the cost factor.

So we got our first AIO (All In Ones) the other day which are going to be used for Austin now and the new baby once it gets older. For the third baby as a newborn and the first several months we are going to do pre-folds with covers. Those basically look like these AIO's but inside the pre-folds (cloth) is laid out and changed with every diaper change but the cover doesn't have to be. Very convenient for newborns since they pee and poo so much. Plus with this babe, the poos shouldn't be that bad for the first several months since it will be breastmilk poos. I had my first day with Austin in the cloth diapers and so far no leaks and even the poopy diaper I changed wasn't that bad at all! Now ask me in several weeks when I have two kids in cloth diapers...hahah! Mike and I both know that if this just doesn't work for us (since we are an out and about family) we can resell the diapers and get pretty much all our money back. Disposables are still in our future, but definitely used less! Well, that was a LONG post...sorry, just wanted to give a background for our new decision and our fun new adventure!

Afraid to Pray...

This is very hard for me to admit, but yes, I have been afraid to pray lately. I know God's strength is mighty, His will is overpowering, yet his hands so loving, never going to forsake me. Still, I am nervous to pray...

You see, Mike and I have some MAJOR major decisions to be made in the next several months. Mostly about his military career, moving, working, etc. I am going to be very vague about the details of our lives because one: I need to bring it to God and not only seek advice from those around me, and two: it is SUCH a long story with so many possible endings. I am a very practical girl who is forced to live a flexible and constantly changing life. I like to have some control just to be able to at least feel the ground beneath my feet, but lately these days, God is carrying me. I am, and I HAVE to give it all to the Lord because Mike and my desire is to live a life for His glory only. Therefore, I can't have any control over this!

Kinda makes me think about this little one inside me...I hope and dream of what a family with 3 boys would be like, and I hope and dream of what a family with a little princess would be like...however I do not have control over it! I never did! And if we found out at 20 wks compared to waiting till the baby is born what the gender was...it still wouldn't change. God has things planned way in advance. Sure some of you would say...but then you could plan and prepare...just as I would say to Mike about our future decisions. But wouldn't that be trying to have control? Wouldn't that be making and preparing my own plans, rather than relying on the Lord for my next step? I pray that I am not overlooking our responsibilities as parents and adults by not preparing to a "T", but that God will see us trusting in Him to plan our course...

...guess I should get praying huh?

In other news: we now own some very cool bunkbeds! Yes, it has taken the 2.5 weeks of having them for me to get used the idea of little Austin climbing the ladder and the awful thoughts that weigh down my mind of "what ifs". Actually I am still NOT used to that idea...but the boys have been respecting the furniture very well and we have had very little injury.

This is also Austin's first big boy bed. Went straight from a crib to the bottom bunk and after a few...actually a week or more of rough nights of him getting out of bed, he now understands what to do! Such a difference from Logan. When Logan went into a toddler bed, he NEVER got out of bed unless we went in there to get him out...in the mornings he would still yell for us from his bed until we went and got him! HA!

It is fun I tell ya, to have boys. To see their imaginations and hear these two little guys become best friends.

Soccer Mom and other updates

Dare I say that I am a Soccer Mom? When did this HAPPEN? HOW did this happen? My baby is only 4 (in a few short weeks he will turn 4) and I am already one of those moms. Not sure how I really feel about it...good or bad. As we (the whole family) were on the way to his first soccer practice I kinda realized, whoa...he is so young and we are starting this toting around now? I want to balance my kids out, have fun things for them to do, and become well rounded. I know that being on a sports team will build confidence, help with listening to authority, social skills, and not to mention sport skills...but in the long run, was this a tad too early to start him on this adventure? Mike and I decided that it may have been a rushed idea, and we will see how the "season" (a few months) goes and probably hold off for a little while. Our kiddos get lots of play time and we want most of the guiding and training for their little minds and hearts to come from us parents...not coaches or team-mates...which there is NOTHING wrong with that. I know that many coaches and team-mates can be wonderful mentors and I am looking forward to them having that in the future:-)

Besides all those thoughts, it was a BLAST to watch Logan participate in the shortest practice ever, run his little legs all around, and probably fall in love with soccer.

His first cleats and shin guards

My grown up boy. Scar above his left eye and a bruised right eye from bonking heads with another kid at church. True boy

Running around at practice

Not soo good with long distance photography...sorry he is blurred!

Can you find him? The coaches were trying to teach the kids what part of their bodies they use in soccer, so he was having them stop the ball with different parts of the body. Here it was their hands...he even had them try head and bum...pretty funny!

Life is going well here at the Morris house...Dad's work schedule is kinda crazy as he is helping the other groups adjust to being home or leaving. We have actually had him home quite a lot, so that is nice. I have been incredibly tired the past few days...like that groggy sleepiness from the 1st trimester stuff. My belly feels low, so not sure if I have dropped, but I am still getting awful heartburn at night. No food after 7 for me! I had a baby appointment a few days ago and baby is good, heart rate in the 140's-150's, positioned head down. The movements have been slow the past few days so I am assuming a little growth spurt along with lack of room. Weight gain has been good for me, less than 30lbs, but these last few weeks I could honestly care less as I just want to eat enough to not feel hungry and not get heartburn! HA!

The boys are growing up fast. Not sure if I have mentioned, but we got bunk beds for the little daredevils! I will have to get photos up of that soon...once their room looks decent:-) Logan has impressed me as a mom so much since Mike has come home. I love to watch how Mike inspires and encourages Logan to try new things and how much trust Logan has in Mike. He has already done so many new things that I would have never thought to try or help him learn. I love it! Austin right now is sick...cold/fever/cough sick. Not sure where he got it, but he just looks miserable. You know, the sick eyes. But he is still a hilarious little dude as I think the fever reducer medication makes him a little loopy as he just talks up a storm about things that make no sense! One cool thing is that he has had a little interest in the potty! He has gone poop/pee on it at least once a day for the past several days! He enjoys flushing it down the toilet and the little dance he gets from Mom or Dad. We aren't doing any rewards right now because he isn't fighting us to sit on the toilet. The only thing is, is that he doesn't ask to sit on it, we always have to prompt him, so in reality he is just getting comfortable with the toilet and it will be a while before he actually tells us. Still a new step!

ummm...what else...not much! I will try and get some more fun pictures up as we start up our garden again, rearrange the house getting ready for baby#3, and just plain have fun!

Thanks for everyone's guesses about the baby...I am so stoked to see who wins! I hope this baby is as small as everyone thinks it will be for my sake:-)